Books Where Eclipses Loom Large

Here are the novels whose narratives are set in motion, in part, due to the power of an eclipse. By Erin McReynoldsAug 18, 2017 10:23 AM

Long ago, inexplicable astronomic events like eclipses were thought to be bad omens — hey, imagine how unsettling it would be to see the moon or sun suddenly disappear from view, with no warning or understanding of how it happened. Today, an eclipse causes more joy than worry: Eclipse chasers swear they feel a spiritual reaction that goes way beyond a merely overwhelming sense of awe … perhaps because eclipses remind us that no matter how much we now understand about the universe, our knowledge is not yet enough to overshadow mystery; mystery continues to flare out from the edges of what we know, inviting wild, mythlike narratives.

So long as we continue to create and enjoy these narratives, we are connected to our ancient selves, our most possible selves. Perhaps, an eclipse suggests, we do not yet know how the story will go. How our story, as a species, will go.